{"id":9926,"date":"2023-10-25T15:40:28","date_gmt":"2023-10-25T15:40:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/automated-warehouse-picking\/"},"modified":"2025-08-21T23:53:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T23:53:07","slug":"automated-warehouse-picking","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/automated-warehouse-picking\/","title":{"rendered":"Automated Warehouse Picking Systems: The Future of Ecommerce?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Table of Contents<\/p>

** Minutes<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

What is automated warehouse picking? <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The benefits of automated warehouse picking <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of automated warehouse picking solutions <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The future of warehousing is automated (but not fully) <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ShipBob automates warehouse picking with outsourced fulfilment and a WMS <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Automated warehouse picking FAQs <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ecommerce warehouses<\/a> are huge spaces. It can take a long time for pickers to find where a SKU is stored, walk there, retrieve the item, and walk back to their packing station.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why many brands are introducing automation into their warehouse picking<\/a> processes. By leveraging advanced warehouse technologies<\/a>, ecommerce businesses can save time, improve picking accuracy, and create a more efficient supply chain.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll dive deep into automated warehouse picking systems, including the different types, their benefits, and how they\u2019re changing the ecommerce fulfilment landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is automated warehouse picking? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Automated warehouse picking is the use of robotic or semi-robotic systems and other warehousing technologies to optimise the picking process.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Automated warehouse picking solutions come in many different varieties, ranging from simple optimisation devices to autonomous robots. All are designed to help human workers by minimising physical movement, improving picking speed, and reducing the chance for human error or mispicks.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes automated warehouse picking a game-changer in supply chain management? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As competition grows in the ecommerce landscape, businesses are striving to differentiate themselves. One of the best ways to do so is by delivering an optimal customer experience \u2013 and to do that, a business\u2019s order fulfilment process must be efficient.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While workforce shortages and supply chain<\/a> complexities have challenged ecommerce brands\u2019 fulfilment strategies in recent years, technological advancements in automated warehouse picking are helping brands make up ground.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, cobots (or \u201ccollaborative robots\u201d) are helping to increase output while reducing injuries and simplifying the picking process for human workers. These automated transport vehicles can navigate autonomously in the warehouse and report independently to an employee\u2019s assigned picking location. Meanwhile, pick-to-light systems can guide pickers to the right location and make it easier to find the items they need to pick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Automation solutions like these significantly speed up pick rate, so orders can get out the door faster and reach your customers at the right time. As automated picking technology continues to improve, it\u2019s important to invest in the right solutions for your brand so that you can continue to satisfy customers, and even gain a competitive edge.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The benefits of automated warehouse picking <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Introducing automation into your picking process might seem intimidating at first, but there are so many upsides to the investment. Here\u2019s a detailed look at some of the ways automated warehouse picking can benefit your business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next-generation productivity <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest benefits of automated warehouse picking systems is their ability to decrease picking times.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some automations speed up picking by assisting human pickers in locating and retrieving items and minimising walking time. Others can even fully take over tasks without needing breaks in between.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of this maximises your warehouse productivity<\/a> significantly, which may further improve other warehouse KPIs<\/a>. For example, increased productivity means reduced labour costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI’ve also been super impressed with the system\u2019s efficiency. I think a lot of that has to do with how the picking algorithms are built, and how the software groups and clusters like-items to streamline the process. The stowing process can be super simple, and ShipBob\u2019s WMS still lets us pick and pack at least ten times faster than before.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ben Tietje, Co-Founder and CEO of Earthley<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Legacy systems integration <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Modern automated warehouse picking solutions are designed to fit into your existing warehouse management system (WMS) with minimal disruption. That way, you can still enjoy integrated logistics<\/a> without having to completely overhaul your existing systems. You might even be able to find picking automation technology that can enhance the performance of legacy systems.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accessibility and user-friendliness <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The entire point of implementing automated warehouse picking systems is to make things easier for humans. As such, these systems are designed to be highly accessible and easy to use, even for the most novice users. Your warehouse picking staff won\u2019t have to go through rigorous training to understand how these systems work and how to collaborate with them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consistency <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can\u2019t have high order accuracy without high consistency. By minimising human effort, automated picking systems also minimise human error, which improves consistency and results in a higher percentage of accurately picked orders.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pick-to-light systems, for example, allow pickers to easily locate the correct items. Automated handling equipment can also be used to retrieve the correct items and transport them to relevant pick stations. That way, pickers are less likely to get confused, pick the wrong items, or waste time travelling to the wrong location.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scalability <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you want to grow your business, you need a picking process that can handle increased order volumes. With the help of automated warehouse picking solutions, you can create an efficient picking strategy that can support 100 orders or 100,000 orders, and give you the flexibility to scale up and down during peak seasons<\/a> and expansions into new channels and countries.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cShipBob\u2019s speed to scale and fast pick, pack, and ship process has been seamless, as our business grew 1,200% in a couple of weeks. Overall, we have had a great experience having a ShipBob as a partner that can scale fast with us.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrea Lisbona, Founder & CEO of Touchland<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Types of automated warehouse picking solutions <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ecommerce businesses can leverage a wide variety of automated warehouse picking solutions. The right solution for your brand will depend on your needs, warehouse layout, and order picking<\/a> methods. For example, some solutions may be better for zone picking<\/a> while others may be ideal for batch picking<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help you find the right fit for your warehouse, here\u2019s a deeper dive into different types of automated warehouse picking solutions.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goods-to-person picking <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Goods-to-person picking solutions use automated handling equipment to retrieve and transport items to the operator for picking. This helps eliminate human travel time while simultaneously improving picking accuracy rates.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Equipment such as stacker cranes, automated conveyor systems, vertical lift modules, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS\/RS), and electrified monorails are used in goods-to-person picking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Assisted picking <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Assisted picking solutions use devices to help operators with the picking process. Pickers may use voice-picking devices, RF scanners, and pick-to-light systems to guide the picking process by locating items and directing them to the right locations.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warehouse management software can also be considered a kind of assisted picking device, as it helps divide the work among pickers. Some WMS software generates pick lists<\/a> based on optimal routes to minimise travel time, and provides instructions for pickers to reduce the risk of error.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Automated picking <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some warehouses also consolidate multiple solutions and technology for a fully automated warehouse picking process. These can include automated: <\/p>\n\n\n\n